CNN Headline:The value of classic cars has jumped 39% this year (2013) alone, according to the Historic Automobile Group Index (HAGI), which tracks the financial performance of 50 rare and exotic classic cars.

The Most Innovative Automobile of the 20th Century Brought Back to Life

Long renowned for expertise and quality in restoration and engineering, Passarelli Restorations at Hale Merced, now located in Hawaii, is nearing completion of their four year W194 project. This is not a replica, but an actual reconstruction of the famed Mercedes Benz racer engineered by Rudolf Uhlenhaut in 1952. Uhlenhaut and his team created not just a spectacular racer that dominated its competition, but revolutionized automotive design.

What is the difference between a replica and a reconstruction? One word: Authenticity.Mark Passarelli is one of less than a dozen people in the world with an encyclopedic knowledge and understanding of how the original Mercedes Benz technicians designed, sourced and engineered the w194 (the original shown in the top photo) and their descendants, the famed w198 300SL Gullwings. Every part of the Passarelli Restorations w194 is either an original vintage Mercedes Benz part, or a hand manufactured element - exactly the way that the Mercedes Benz engineers created this spectacular automobile in 1952.